Severe weather
EF-1 tornado with estimated 100 mph winds confirmed near Bordentown, NJ, Thursday
By Ryan Hall, Y'all Weather Desk · Published · Updated
Written by our automated news desk from National Weather Service data.
What's new: Survey details added for the Bordentown EF-1: estimated 100 mph winds, 1.5-mile path, documented damage
Key points
- Where: 2 miles southeast of Bordentown Township in Burlington County, New Jersey, and near Christiana Hospital in New Castle County, Delaware. Both sit between Wilmington and Trenton.
- When: Delaware at 1:15 PM Eastern, New Jersey at 4:00 PM Eastern, both Thursday, Nov. 12.
- What: New Jersey was an EF-1 with estimated 100 mph winds, a 1.5-mile path and a maximum width of 100 yards. Delaware was confirmed by radar analysis and video, with no rating or path published yet.
- What it means: Both areas had damage. No severe storms are in the forecast for the Northeast through the weekend.
An EF-1 tornado with estimated winds of 100 mph hit 2 miles southeast of Bordentown Township in Burlington County, New Jersey, at 4:00 PM Eastern Thursday, Nov. 12. A National Weather Service survey confirmed it Friday morning and found a path 1.5 miles long and up to 100 yards wide.
Less than three hours earlier, at 1:15 PM, a separate tornado touched down near Christiana Hospital in New Castle County, Delaware. That one is confirmed but has no rating yet. No severe storms are expected in the Northeast today or Saturday.
Two tornadoes, one afternoon
Thursday's two confirmed tornadoes came about 2 hours and 45 minutes apart, one in Delaware and one in New Jersey.
New Jersey: EF-1 near Bordentown
The survey team found that the tornado began along Old York Road. It stayed on the ground for 1.5 miles and was never wider than 100 yards. The strongest winds in the damage path were estimated at 100 mph, which is the EF-1 range.
Damage the team documented:
- A farm building lost all of its exterior walls.
- A house lost a significant portion of its roof.
- A school lost its roof covering.
- Farm equipment was overturned.
The path was narrow, but the damage to buildings was serious.
Delaware: confirmed near Christiana Hospital
The Delaware tornado came first. Several reports of damage came in around Christiana Hospital, logged about a mile southeast of Eastburn Heights in New Castle County. Radar analysis and video confirm a tornado touched down there. One report from the scene said a helicopter lost a rotor.
The rating, path length and width had not been published as of Friday afternoon. Until a survey puts out those numbers, the strength is unknown, and we won't guess at it.
Is more coming?
Not in the Northeast. No severe storms are expected there today or Saturday, Nov. 14. A big area of high pressure is building over the Midwest and will push cool, dry air across much of the country into early next week. Beyond Sunday, that stable air is expected to keep thunderstorms mostly over the Gulf's near-shore waters into early next week.
The next severe risk is Level 1 of 5 (Marginal Risk) on Sunday, Nov. 15, across the Texas coastal plain, including Houston and Corpus Christi. It is nowhere near the Mid-Atlantic. You can follow it on our severe storm outlooks page.
One more local note: a coastal flood advisory covers the Delaware beaches and inland Sussex County until 4 AM Eastern Saturday, with up to half a foot of water above ground in low spots near the shore and tidal waterways.
What to do
- If you had damage: Photograph everything before you clean up, then call your insurance company. Cover a damaged roof with a tarp to keep water out.
- Stay clear of downed lines. Treat any wire on the ground as live, and keep away from leaning trees and limbs.
- Check with local emergency management about how to report damage. Reports help document the path.
- Get warnings on your phone. A Thursday afternoon storm in November is easy to miss. You can sign up for free Y'all Alerts and check active warnings any time.
Bottom line
Thursday's New Jersey tornado is confirmed as an EF-1 with about 100 mph winds along a 1.5-mile path. The Delaware tornado near Christiana Hospital is confirmed but still waiting on a rating, and neither area has a severe storm threat in the days ahead.
More on Mid-Atlantic severe weather, November 2026
Places in this story: Bordentown, NJ
Sources
- Iowa Environmental Mesonet observations, Iowa Environmental Mesonet (Iowa State University)
- NWS Local Storm Reports, National Weather Service